The Nigeria Police Force has arrested three suspected armed robbers and recovered 10 stolen vehicles in Kaduna State.
The suspects , Abubakar Musa, 36; Hassan Umar, 30; and Joshua Raphael, 20 were arrested on March 16, 2026, during an operation by operatives of the Force Intelligence Department – Special Tactical Squad.
According to a statement on Friday by the Force Public Relations Officer, Anthony Okon Placid, the principal suspect, Musa, is a dismissed corporal of the Nigerian Army who allegedly impersonated a serving soldier to evade arrest.
“The suspect used the false identity to perpetrate armed robbery with his accomplices,” the statement read.
The police said investigations showed that the syndicate specialised in stealing vehicles and altering their registration details to conceal their identities and ownership.
Items recovered from the suspects include 10 vehicles of different brands, including Toyota Hilux trucks, Toyota Corolla cars, a Pontiac Vibe GT, a Honda vehicle, a Lexus car, and a Toyota RAV4 SUV, some of which were found without registration numbers.
The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, commended the operatives for the successful operation.
He said efforts were ongoing to apprehend other fleeing members of the syndicate and recover more stolen vehicles.